Brotherhood of Man
Encyclopedia
Brotherhood of Man are a British
pop group who achieved success in the 1970s, most notably by winning the 1976 Eurovision Song Contest with "Save Your Kisses for Me
".
Created in 1969 by songwriter and record producer Tony Hiller
, Brotherhood of Man was initially an umbrella title for a frequently-changing line-up of session singers. Early on, they scored a worldwide hit with the song "United We Stand
". By 1973 the concept had run its course and Hiller formed a definite four-member line-up consisting of Martin Lee
, Lee Sheriden
, Nicky Stevens
and Sandra Stevens
. This version of the group went onto score many hits around the world in the mid to late 1970s including "Kiss Me Kiss Your Baby", "Angelo
", "Oh Boy (The Mood I'm In)
" and "Figaro
". They achieved perhaps their biggest success in their native UK with three number one singles and four top twenty albums. Their worldwide record sales have topped 15 million.
The group under this line-up still continues today, performing shows throughout Europe and have occasionally released independently-produced albums.
/ composer
Tony Hiller
in 1969, and originally featured his co-writer John Goodison with Tony Burrows
, Roger Greenaway
, Sue Glover and Sunny Leslie. Burrows was an experienced session singer by this point and Greenaway was a well-known songwriter, while Glover and Leslie were an act in their own right, releasing singles as Sue and Sunny
.
Greenaway as a songwriter had co-written songs such as Gene Pitney
's "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart
" and went on to co-write "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing
" by The New Seekers
and "Melting Pot" by Blue Mink
. Burrows meanwhile was a well-known singer, not in his own right, but by singing vocals in various line-ups on hit singles such as the No.1 hit "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)
" by Edison Lighthouse
. (He famously appeared three times on one edition of Top of the Pops
- each time in a different group). Leslie had a solo
hit in 1974 (as Sunny) with "Doctor's Orders
", and Glover became a well-known session
singer. Together, they provided backing vocals
for both UK entrants, Lulu
and Vikki Watson
, at the Eurovision Song Contests in 1969 and 1985 respectively, as well as German
entrant Joy Fleming (alongside Madeline Bell
of Blue Mink) in 1975. Glover attempted to represent the UK
herself in 1981 with the group Unity, but finished last in the heat.
The group came together in 1969 and began recording some songs with Hiller. Their first single "Love One Another" failed to chart, but the follow-up "United We Stand
" (released in early 1970) turned their fortunes around. "United We Stand" was heavily played on British radio, and broke the American
market. The single became a Top 20 hit in the UK, Canada, and US. The song has since been used as an anthem for anti-war, gay rights movements and by football supporters. As a five-piece, The Brotherhood of Man followed "United We Stand" with another hit, "Where Are You Going to My Love". The song charted in the UK, Canada, and US and has since been covered by Olivia Newton John and The Osmonds
among others. A début album United We Stand followed soon after.
Over the next couple of years, the group continued to record as The Brotherhood of Man in varied line-ups. Burrows left the group at the beginning of 1971 and was replaced by American singer Hal Atkinson, Greenaway left soon after and was replaced by Russell Stone. They had one more minor hit in the US (1971's "Reach Out Your Hand"), but experienced no further success in the UK and were eventually dropped by their record company.
, Nicky Stevens
and Lee Sheriden
.
Sheriden was already known to Hiller as a songwriter and had a solo career. Lee had a solo single to his name and was a budding songwriter. Stevens had been classically trained, but had since adapted her vocals and was performing as a cabaret singer. The trio began recording together, but their first single, "Rock Me Baby", due to be released at the end of 1972, was cancelled due to the release of the song by David Cassidy
. Finally their first two singles "Happy Ever After" and "Our World of Love" were released in 1973. Neither single charted and soon after, another female vocalist was added to the line up, Sandra Stevens
. Stevens (no relation to Nicky) had been performing as a big-band singer since a teenager in the late 1960s. She had sung with the Joe Loss
big band and alongside Eve Graham
(of The New Seekers) in club group, The Nocturnes.
Now signed to the Pye
spin off label, Dawn
, the quartet released their first single, "When Love Catches Up on You" in January 1974. It failed to chart, but the follow-up single, "Lady" became a hit in Europe. Encouraged by this, the group set about recording their debut album. Good Things Happening
was released later in the year along with two more singles, but none of these found success. Before the record label folded, Brotherhood of Man released one more single in the Summer of 1975. This was the upbeat "Kiss Me Kiss Your Baby" and although failed to make an impression in the UK, became a big hit in Europe, reaching Number one in Belgium
and Number two in the Netherlands
as well as top 10 placings in other countries. Brotherhood of Man toured extensively in Europe, honing their stage act and harmonies, while Hiller, Sheriden and Lee worked on composing songs for their second album. Among them was a song Sheriden had largely written called "Save Your Kisses for Me".
In early 1976, Hiller was keen for Brotherhood of Man to make an impact in the UK and decided to put "Save Your Kisses for Me" forward to the A Song for Europe
competition. This year saw a change to the Contest in that, since 1964, one specific artist had performed all the songs (e.g. Cliff Richard
, Olivia Newton-John
, Lulu
, etc.), but 1976 saw the return to the format in which any artist was eligible to enter. "Save Your Kisses for Me" made it to the final twelve songs and on 25 February, Brotherhood of Man took the title, beating the second placed act, Co-Co
by two points. Now signed to Pye Records
, "Save Your Kisses for Me" was released as a single in March and hit the No.1 spot two weeks before the Contest final. On 3 April, the 1976 Eurovision Song Contest was staged in the Netherlands and Brotherhood of Man performed the song, dressed in red, white and black with simple choreography devised by Guy Lutman. "Save Your Kisses for Me" took the title with an overwhelming victory. As manager Hiller stated;
The song became a major hit around the world and made No.1 in many countries and returned the group to the US Charts. The song eventually sold six million copies worldwide and is still the highest selling Eurovision winner ever. In the UK, it stayed at No.1 for six weeks and earned them a platinum disc. It ended up the top selling single of the year and is currently one of the top 100 selling songs ever in the UK.
, the album was a success in the UK, reaching the top twenty, as well as other countries, gaining a Number six position in Norway for instance. Soon after this, a follow-up single was released. Eager to cash in on their success, Pye decided against releasing anything from the album, as the earlier material had been more soul-based than the pop they were now successful with. The group instead released "My Sweet Rosalie" - almost a carbon copy of the previous hit, although the lyrical twist was that it was about a dog, rather than a child. The song failed to chart highly, only reaching Number thirty in the UK, but fared better in other countries, particularly Belgium where it made Number two. Concerned by the lack of success for the single, the record company did not release anything else in the UK for the rest of 1976, despite the fact that in Europe a new album of material was released along with singles in various countries: "I Give You My Love" in Germany
, Spain
and others and "New York City" in France
.
Early in 1977, the group released their next single, "Oh Boy (The Mood I'm In)
". The song was a change to their previous hits in that it was female-led and much more in a contemporary pop style. The song was a hit in the UK, reaching the top 10 and fared well in Europe also. The album which had been released in Europe the previous year was now released in the UK with the new single added. The album, now titled Oh Boy!
, did not follow their last album into the charts however.
By now the public were picking up on their similarity to ABBA
who were currently dominating the charts around the world, this perception was cemented with the release of their next single, "Angelo
". Criticized by many of its similarity to ABBA's "Fernando
", the song was released in the Summer of 1977 and was an instant success. The song rose to Number one in the UK Charts and became one of the biggest hits of the year as well as ending up among the 50 best selling singles of the decade. The group were invited to appear at the 1977 Royal Variety Performance
, where they elected to sing "Angelo", rather than their then current single "Highwayman". Deprived of this vital promotion, the single failed to enter the chart (although was 'bubbling under' the top 50 at the time). It did however become a top 20 hit in both the Netherlands and Belgium. An accompanying album Images
, similarly failed in the UK charts.
The group battled on into 1978 with the release of "Figaro
", which brought them back into vogue and became their third UK Number one single. Many critics argued however that this song was simply cashing in on the success of "Angelo", but although their titles are similar, there is little evidence to support this, as the two songs are very different. In May "Beautiful Lover" was released and another hit, reaching the UK top twenty, and spending three months in the charts. An album was released soon after, B for Brotherhood
. The record company took no chances with this album, given the failure of their previous two, and so with a TV advertising campaign, the album entered the UK Charts, eventually peaking at Number eighteen - their most successful album so far.
As the year drew to a close another single, "Middle of the Night" was released along with a greatest hits
compilation, Twenty Greatest
. Apart from featuring all their own hits and a smattering of album tracks and new songs, the group re-recorded both "United We Stand" and "Where are You Going To My Love" for the album. Twenty Greatest became Brotherhood Of Man's most successful album, reaching Number six in the UK Charts and spending fifteen weeks in the top 75.
. This was despite regular TV appearances and radio play, although the group remained popular on the live circuit. As Pye Records were due to fold at the end of the year, one more album was released in December to fulfill their contract. The album Singing a Song
was made up of unreleased songs mixed with new material, but no singles were released from the collection.
Manager Tony Hiller set up his own record company in 1980, Dazzle Records. Brotherhood of Man released the first single on the label, "Honey Don't Throw Our Love Away" which also did not chart, nor did the follow-up, a cover of the 1960s hit "Will You Love Me Tomorrow
". An album
was recorded but went unreleased, except for in Australia
. Towards the end of the year, the group were offered a deal with Warwick Records
to make an album of cover versions. Released in November, Sing 20 Number One Hits
was the group's take on 20 number one UK hits from recent years. The album hit peaked at Number fourteen - their first chart success for two years. The album remained in the top 50 for two months and was awarded a gold disc.
Keen to release a follow-up, Warwick offered them a double album deal the following year. Released as a buy one get one free package, 20 Disco Greats / 20 Love Songs
- again, a collection of recent chart hits, came out in late 1981. This album did not match the success of the first and missed the UK Charts. Tracks from these albums appear frequently on CD releases of the group, interspersed with their own hit singles.
In early 1982, Sheriden opted to leave the group to study for a degree in music. Hiller took on 28 year old Barry Upton
, an up and coming songwriter. Upton was later to write hits for many artists including Sonia and Steps.
The previous year, the UK had won the Eurovision Song Contest (the first time since Brotherhood of Man) with the two boy two girl pop act Bucks Fizz
. Within twelve months they had chalked up three number one singles and encouraged by their popularity, Hiller set about reviving Brotherhood of Man's fortunes. In 1982, Brotherhood of Man signed a deal with EMI
in the hope that the new pop revival would encompass them. Armed with a new single "Lightning Flash", written by Hiller, Lee and Upton, the group were relaunched with a new contemporary image and sound. The song only reached Number sixty seven in the summer of 1982 - their first single to chart in nearly four years. A follow-up, "Cry Baby Cry" failed to capitalise on this, but nevertheless, the group began working on a new album.
In 1983, the songwriting team of Hiller, Lee and Upton entered a song for the A Song for Europe
competition. Their composition, "When the Kissing Stops" made it to the final eight, but although initially tempted, the group decided not to perform the number themselves ("We all agreed it would be better to be remembered as winners, and we couldn't bear to lose!" remembers Sandra Stevens). Hiller formed a male/female trio under the name Rubic to represent the song on 24 March 1983. The group lost out to another male/female trio, Sweet Dreams
and ended up in fifth place. Despite its failure, Brotherhood of Man recorded the song and chose it as their next single. Released in the Summer of 1983, alongside their new album Lightning Flash
, neither record made the UK Chart and this brought to an end their contract with EMI. "When the Kissing Stops" remains Brotherhood of Man's final single release.
Brotherhood of Man continued to perform in concert throughout the UK and Europe, but less than a year later, Upton elected to leave to work on other projects and the group decided to split. This ended their twelve year working relationship with Hiller.
In 1990, Martin Lee got together with songwriters Paul Curtis
and David Kane to compose a musical based on The Butterfly Children
books by Angela
and Pat Mills
. The musical had its world premiere at the Mitchell Theatre in Glasgow
, to open the 1990 Glasgow City of Culture and ran for a month and was performed by the Mitchell Theatre for Youth. Just three months later, the show transferred to the larger Kings Theatre in Glasgow and ran for two weeks. The show transferred in late 1992 to London
's West End
. Brotherhood of Man recorded the songs themselves and the nineteen track collection, available on cassette only, was available to buy at the theatre. The album was never commercially released, although some tracks did make it onto tie-in cassettes to go with the books a few years later. The Butterfly Children, essentially a children's show, featured many differing styles of music from rap to rock and country and western to the more familiar pop the group were known for. The show's run ended after a short season, and has not been performed since.
In 1991, the group went back into the recording studio and made an album of re recorded hits and some new material with Dutch producer Eddy Ouwens. Not only was this their first recording for eight years, but it was their first without Hiller. The album remains unreleased in the UK, but was released in Spain under the title Grandes Exitos and in Poland as The Golden Hits Of Brotherhood Of Man.
The group continued to perform live throughout the nineties mainly on the cabaret circuit and Holiday Camps such as Butlins
. In 1997, they recorded another album, based on their live show. Again, the album contained re-recordings of their hits as well as cover versions that they perform in concert, such as "1999
" by Prince
and "Juke Box Hero
" by Foreigner
. The album contained one new song, the title track "Greenhouse
", rescued from the 1991 sessions. Like the previous album, this was never commercially released and was only available to buy at their shows.
As the 2000s dawned, the group went into semi-retirement and cut back on touring. However, in 2002, they devised a new live show based on their roots in the 1970s. Entitled The Seventies Story
, the show comprised a trip through the decade, with the group performing well known songs from each year along with a narration of contemporary events. The group returned to the studio and recorded an album of the show's songs. Again, this album was not released in shops, but was available on CD at the show's venues. The tracks did get a general release later on however on various compilation albums. In 2004, the first Brotherhood of Man DVD
was released, featuring TV performances of many of their singles.
To date, the group still do occasional shows with both The Seventies Story and with their own material. Most recently they have teamed up with the current incarnation of Bucks Fizz and together they perform as a two-part show. They frequently play to sold out houses, The Seventies Story being particularly successful in receiving good reviews.
Brotherhood of Man still find themselves in demand on both the Nostalgia and gay circuit. They have appeared a number of times at London's G-A-Y
theatre and regularly appear on TV both in the UK and abroad, mostly around Eurovision time each year. In 2006, they appeared at the 50th anniversary of the Eurovision Song Contest gala held in Denmark
, where they were voted in the top 5 Eurovision songs of all time - the highest of any UK entry.
In 2009, Cherry Red Records released the first four albums by the Eurovision line up as two double CDs. This was the first time these albums were available on CD.
Brotherhood of Man I (1969–1972)
Brotherhood of Man II (1972–present)
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
pop group who achieved success in the 1970s, most notably by winning the 1976 Eurovision Song Contest with "Save Your Kisses for Me
Save Your Kisses For Me
"Save Your Kisses for Me" was the winning song of the Eurovision Song Contest 1976, performed for the United Kingdom by Brotherhood of Man in The Hague, Netherlands. The lyrics and music were written by Tony Hiller, Lee Sheriden, and Martin Lee, the latter two being members of the band...
".
Created in 1969 by songwriter and record producer Tony Hiller
Tony Hiller
Tony Hiller is a British songwriter. He began his musical career as a member of the song and dance duo The Hiller Brothers, sharing the stage with his brother Irving...
, Brotherhood of Man was initially an umbrella title for a frequently-changing line-up of session singers. Early on, they scored a worldwide hit with the song "United We Stand
United We Stand (song)
"United We Stand" is a popular song by Tony Hiller and Peter Simmons. It was first recorded in 1970 by The Brotherhood of Man , becoming the band's first hit, peaking at #13 in the U.S., #9 in Canada, and #10 in the U.K. It is considered a worldwide standard and has been recorded by over 100...
". By 1973 the concept had run its course and Hiller formed a definite four-member line-up consisting of Martin Lee
Martin Lee (singer)
Martin Lee is a singer-songwriter, best known as a member of the British pop group Brotherhood of Man.- Early career :...
, Lee Sheriden
Lee Sheriden
Lee Sheriden is a British singer/songwriter and musical director, best known as a member of pop group Brotherhood of Man.-Early career:...
, Nicky Stevens
Nicky Stevens
Nicky Stevens is a singer, famous as a member of pop group Brotherhood of Man.- Early career :Nicky Stevens began singing at an early age was classically trained. At 15 she toured the Continent as a singer performing in night clubs. Following this she went on to tour South Africa as well as clubs...
and Sandra Stevens
Sandra Stevens
Sandra Stevens is a British singer and member of pop group Brotherhood of Man.- Early career :Sandra Stevens first entered into a singing career at the age of sixteen when she joined the club band, The Track...
. This version of the group went onto score many hits around the world in the mid to late 1970s including "Kiss Me Kiss Your Baby", "Angelo
Angelo (song)
"Angelo" is a song by British pop group Brotherhood of Man. Released as a single in June 1977, it became the group's second UK number one hit.- Background :...
", "Oh Boy (The Mood I'm In)
Oh Boy (The Mood I'm In)
"Oh Boy " is a popular song written by Tony Romeo. It has been recorded by Diana Trask and Brotherhood of Man, among others.The song was originally recorded by Australian artist Diana Trask in 1975...
" and "Figaro
Figaro (song)
"Figaro" is a song by British pop group Brotherhood of Man. It was released as a single in January 1978 and became the group's third and final number one hit in the UK.- Background :...
". They achieved perhaps their biggest success in their native UK with three number one singles and four top twenty albums. Their worldwide record sales have topped 15 million.
The group under this line-up still continues today, performing shows throughout Europe and have occasionally released independently-produced albums.
Early line-up
The group was formed by record producerRecord producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
/ composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
Tony Hiller
Tony Hiller
Tony Hiller is a British songwriter. He began his musical career as a member of the song and dance duo The Hiller Brothers, sharing the stage with his brother Irving...
in 1969, and originally featured his co-writer John Goodison with Tony Burrows
Tony Burrows
Anthony "Tony" Burrows is a British session singer. He has been credited with singing lead on hit singles for more groups than any other recording artist, both on the UK Singles Chart and the U.S...
, Roger Greenaway
Roger Greenaway
Roger Greenaway , is a popular English songwriter, best known for his collaborations with Roger Cook.-Career:...
, Sue Glover and Sunny Leslie. Burrows was an experienced session singer by this point and Greenaway was a well-known songwriter, while Glover and Leslie were an act in their own right, releasing singles as Sue and Sunny
Sue and Sunny
Sue and Sunny were a vocal duo and session singers operating in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Although sisters, their full stage names were Sue Glover and Sunny Leslie...
.
Greenaway as a songwriter had co-written songs such as Gene Pitney
Gene Pitney
Eugene Francis Alan Pitney, known as Gene Pitney , was an American singer-songwriter, musician and sound engineer. Through the mid-1960s, he enjoyed success as a recording artist on both sides of the Atlantic and was among the group of early 1960s American acts who continued to enjoy hits after the...
's "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart
Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart
"Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" is a popular song written by Roger Greenaway and Roger Cook.Originally recorded by David and Jonathan, and then Gene Pitney in 1967, the song reached #5 on the UK singles chart but failed to chart in the USA...
" and went on to co-write "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing
I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing
"I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing " is a popular song which originated as a jingle in the groundbreaking 1971 "Hilltop" television commercial for Coca-Cola. The song, produced by Billy Davis and performed by The New Seekers, portrayed a positive message of hope and love sung by a multicultural...
" by The New Seekers
The New Seekers
The New Seekers are a British-based pop group, formed in 1969 by Keith Potger after the break-up of his group, The Seekers. The idea was that the New Seekers would appeal to the same market as the original Seekers, but their music had rock as well as folk influences...
and "Melting Pot" by Blue Mink
Blue Mink
Blue Mink was a British five-piece pop group, that existed from 1969 to 1974. Over that period they had six Top 20 hit singles in the UK Singles Chart, and released five studio based albums...
. Burrows meanwhile was a well-known singer, not in his own right, but by singing vocals in various line-ups on hit singles such as the No.1 hit "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)
Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)
"Love Grows " is a popular song by "one-hit wonder" Edison Lighthouse. The single hit the number one spot on the UK singles chart on the week ending on 31 January 1970, where it remained for a total of five weeks.- Song profile :...
" by Edison Lighthouse
Edison Lighthouse
Edison Lighthouse was a UK pop group, initially a studio-only assemblage that served as a vehicle for session vocalist Tony Burrows and songwriter/record producers Tony Macaulay and Barry Mason, are best known for their 1970 UK chart-topper and million-selling record, "Love Grows ".-Career:The...
. (He famously appeared three times on one edition of Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
- each time in a different group). Leslie had a solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
hit in 1974 (as Sunny) with "Doctor's Orders
Doctor's Orders (song)
"Doctor's Orders" is a song written by Roger Cook, Roger Greenaway and Geoff Stephens which in 1974 was a hit in the UK for Sunny of Sue and Sunny; in the US the song was a hit for Carol Douglas.-Sunny version:...
", and Glover became a well-known session
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
singer. Together, they provided backing vocals
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
for both UK entrants, Lulu
Lulu (singer)
Lulu Kennedy-Cairns, OBE , best known by her stage name Lulu, is a Scottish singer, actress, and television personality who has been successful in the entertainment business from the 1960s through to the present day...
and Vikki Watson
Aeone
Aeone Victoria Watson , best known as her mononym Aeone is a British artiste and composer, who now lives in Los Angeles, California. Her music has been classified as new age, folk or world music. She has released four albums, one of which was an internet only release. She now works extensively in...
, at the Eurovision Song Contests in 1969 and 1985 respectively, as well as German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
entrant Joy Fleming (alongside Madeline Bell
Madeline Bell
Madeline Bell is an American soul singer, who became famous as a performer in the United Kingdom during the 1960s, having arrived from the US in the gospel show Black Nativity in 1962, with vocal group The Bradford Singers.-Career:She worked as a session singer, most notably backing for Dusty...
of Blue Mink) in 1975. Glover attempted to represent the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
herself in 1981 with the group Unity, but finished last in the heat.
The group came together in 1969 and began recording some songs with Hiller. Their first single "Love One Another" failed to chart, but the follow-up "United We Stand
United We Stand (song)
"United We Stand" is a popular song by Tony Hiller and Peter Simmons. It was first recorded in 1970 by The Brotherhood of Man , becoming the band's first hit, peaking at #13 in the U.S., #9 in Canada, and #10 in the U.K. It is considered a worldwide standard and has been recorded by over 100...
" (released in early 1970) turned their fortunes around. "United We Stand" was heavily played on British radio, and broke the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
market. The single became a Top 20 hit in the UK, Canada, and US. The song has since been used as an anthem for anti-war, gay rights movements and by football supporters. As a five-piece, The Brotherhood of Man followed "United We Stand" with another hit, "Where Are You Going to My Love". The song charted in the UK, Canada, and US and has since been covered by Olivia Newton John and The Osmonds
The Osmonds
The Osmonds are an American family music group with a long and varied career—a career that took them from singing barbershop music as children, to achieving success as teen-music idols, to producing a hit television show, and to continued success as solo and group performers...
among others. A début album United We Stand followed soon after.
Over the next couple of years, the group continued to record as The Brotherhood of Man in varied line-ups. Burrows left the group at the beginning of 1971 and was replaced by American singer Hal Atkinson, Greenaway left soon after and was replaced by Russell Stone. They had one more minor hit in the US (1971's "Reach Out Your Hand"), but experienced no further success in the UK and were eventually dropped by their record company.
Main line-up
Keen to keep the established name alive, Hiller set about putting a new line up together. In 1972 he got together a trio of session singers, Martin LeeMartin Lee (singer)
Martin Lee is a singer-songwriter, best known as a member of the British pop group Brotherhood of Man.- Early career :...
, Nicky Stevens
Nicky Stevens
Nicky Stevens is a singer, famous as a member of pop group Brotherhood of Man.- Early career :Nicky Stevens began singing at an early age was classically trained. At 15 she toured the Continent as a singer performing in night clubs. Following this she went on to tour South Africa as well as clubs...
and Lee Sheriden
Lee Sheriden
Lee Sheriden is a British singer/songwriter and musical director, best known as a member of pop group Brotherhood of Man.-Early career:...
.
Sheriden was already known to Hiller as a songwriter and had a solo career. Lee had a solo single to his name and was a budding songwriter. Stevens had been classically trained, but had since adapted her vocals and was performing as a cabaret singer. The trio began recording together, but their first single, "Rock Me Baby", due to be released at the end of 1972, was cancelled due to the release of the song by David Cassidy
David Cassidy
David Bruce Cassidy is an American actor, singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for his role as the character of Keith Partridge in the 1970s musical/sitcom The Partridge Family. He was one of pop culture's most celebrated teen idols, enjoying a successful pop career in the 1970s, and...
. Finally their first two singles "Happy Ever After" and "Our World of Love" were released in 1973. Neither single charted and soon after, another female vocalist was added to the line up, Sandra Stevens
Sandra Stevens
Sandra Stevens is a British singer and member of pop group Brotherhood of Man.- Early career :Sandra Stevens first entered into a singing career at the age of sixteen when she joined the club band, The Track...
. Stevens (no relation to Nicky) had been performing as a big-band singer since a teenager in the late 1960s. She had sung with the Joe Loss
Joe Loss
Joshua Alexander "Joe" Loss LVO OBE was a British musician and founder of the Joe Loss Orchestra.-Life:Loss was born in Spitalfields, London, the youngest of four children. His parents, Israel and Ada Loss, were Russian Jews and first cousins. His father was a cabinet-maker who had an office...
big band and alongside Eve Graham
Eve Graham
Eve Graham is a Scottish singer, who found fame in the early 1970s with the pop group, The New Seekers.-Biography:...
(of The New Seekers) in club group, The Nocturnes.
Now signed to the Pye
Pye Records
Pye Records was a British record label. In its first incarnation, perhaps Pye's best known artists were Lonnie Donegan , Petula Clark , The Searchers , The Kinks , Sandie Shaw and Brotherhood of Man...
spin off label, Dawn
Dawn Records
Dawn Records was a subsidiary of Pye Records. Active from 1970 to 1975, it was set up largely as Pye's 'underground and progressive' label, a rival of the EMI and Phonogram equivalents, Harvest and Vertigo....
, the quartet released their first single, "When Love Catches Up on You" in January 1974. It failed to chart, but the follow-up single, "Lady" became a hit in Europe. Encouraged by this, the group set about recording their debut album. Good Things Happening
Good Things Happening
Good Things Happening is the first album released by the new lineup of pop group Brotherhood of Man. This lineup consisted of Martin Lee, Lee Sheriden, Nicky Stevens and Sandra Stevens and was to be the main lineup of the group's history and would hold for the next ten albums.- Background :This...
was released later in the year along with two more singles, but none of these found success. Before the record label folded, Brotherhood of Man released one more single in the Summer of 1975. This was the upbeat "Kiss Me Kiss Your Baby" and although failed to make an impression in the UK, became a big hit in Europe, reaching Number one in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and Number two in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
as well as top 10 placings in other countries. Brotherhood of Man toured extensively in Europe, honing their stage act and harmonies, while Hiller, Sheriden and Lee worked on composing songs for their second album. Among them was a song Sheriden had largely written called "Save Your Kisses for Me".
Eurovision victory
A Song for Europe
A Song for Europe may refer to:*A Song for Europe, former name of British pre-selection competition for the Eurovision Song Contest, now known as Eurovision: Your Country Needs You...
competition. This year saw a change to the Contest in that, since 1964, one specific artist had performed all the songs (e.g. Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
, Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John AO, OBE is a singer and actress. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who has amassed five No. 1 and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles and two No. 1 Billboard 200 solo albums. Eleven of her singles and 14 of her albums have been certified gold by the RIAA...
, Lulu
Lulu (singer)
Lulu Kennedy-Cairns, OBE , best known by her stage name Lulu, is a Scottish singer, actress, and television personality who has been successful in the entertainment business from the 1960s through to the present day...
, etc.), but 1976 saw the return to the format in which any artist was eligible to enter. "Save Your Kisses for Me" made it to the final twelve songs and on 25 February, Brotherhood of Man took the title, beating the second placed act, Co-Co
Co-Co (band)
Co-Co were a five piece British band who represented the UK for the Eurovision Song Contest 1978, staged at the Palais de Congrès in Paris, France, on 22 April 1978, with the song, "The Bad Old Days". The song was written by the husband and wife team of Stephanie de Sykes and Stuart Slater...
by two points. Now signed to Pye Records
Pye Records
Pye Records was a British record label. In its first incarnation, perhaps Pye's best known artists were Lonnie Donegan , Petula Clark , The Searchers , The Kinks , Sandie Shaw and Brotherhood of Man...
, "Save Your Kisses for Me" was released as a single in March and hit the No.1 spot two weeks before the Contest final. On 3 April, the 1976 Eurovision Song Contest was staged in the Netherlands and Brotherhood of Man performed the song, dressed in red, white and black with simple choreography devised by Guy Lutman. "Save Your Kisses for Me" took the title with an overwhelming victory. As manager Hiller stated;
"..."Kiss Me Kiss Your Baby" was a hit all over Europe in '75. I firmly believe it opened the door for us a year later and helped us do well because they knew us - every weekend we'd travel to do TV spots in France, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland".
The song became a major hit around the world and made No.1 in many countries and returned the group to the US Charts. The song eventually sold six million copies worldwide and is still the highest selling Eurovision winner ever. In the UK, it stayed at No.1 for six weeks and earned them a platinum disc. It ended up the top selling single of the year and is currently one of the top 100 selling songs ever in the UK.
Post Eurovision success
The group had already recorded a second album and had been released in several countries a year previously. Following their victory, Pye released the album with "Save Your Kisses for Me" added. Entitled Love and KissesLove and Kisses from Brotherhood of Man
Love and Kisses from Brotherhood of Man is the second album released by the new line-up of British pop group Brotherhood of Man. It was released in the UK the day before their 1976 Eurovision win with "Save Your Kisses for Me", which the album contained...
, the album was a success in the UK, reaching the top twenty, as well as other countries, gaining a Number six position in Norway for instance. Soon after this, a follow-up single was released. Eager to cash in on their success, Pye decided against releasing anything from the album, as the earlier material had been more soul-based than the pop they were now successful with. The group instead released "My Sweet Rosalie" - almost a carbon copy of the previous hit, although the lyrical twist was that it was about a dog, rather than a child. The song failed to chart highly, only reaching Number thirty in the UK, but fared better in other countries, particularly Belgium where it made Number two. Concerned by the lack of success for the single, the record company did not release anything else in the UK for the rest of 1976, despite the fact that in Europe a new album of material was released along with singles in various countries: "I Give You My Love" in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and others and "New York City" in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Early in 1977, the group released their next single, "Oh Boy (The Mood I'm In)
Oh Boy (The Mood I'm In)
"Oh Boy " is a popular song written by Tony Romeo. It has been recorded by Diana Trask and Brotherhood of Man, among others.The song was originally recorded by Australian artist Diana Trask in 1975...
". The song was a change to their previous hits in that it was female-led and much more in a contemporary pop style. The song was a hit in the UK, reaching the top 10 and fared well in Europe also. The album which had been released in Europe the previous year was now released in the UK with the new single added. The album, now titled Oh Boy!
Oh Boy! (album)
Oh Boy! is the third album released by pop group Brotherhood of Man. It was released in 1977 and featured the UK top 10 hit, "Oh Boy "...
, did not follow their last album into the charts however.
By now the public were picking up on their similarity to ABBA
ABBA
ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
who were currently dominating the charts around the world, this perception was cemented with the release of their next single, "Angelo
Angelo (song)
"Angelo" is a song by British pop group Brotherhood of Man. Released as a single in June 1977, it became the group's second UK number one hit.- Background :...
". Criticized by many of its similarity to ABBA's "Fernando
Fernando (song)
"Fernando" is a song by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It was the group's first non-album single and was released in November 1975 through Polar Music. Lead vocals were sung by Anni-Frid Lyngstad...
", the song was released in the Summer of 1977 and was an instant success. The song rose to Number one in the UK Charts and became one of the biggest hits of the year as well as ending up among the 50 best selling singles of the decade. The group were invited to appear at the 1977 Royal Variety Performance
Royal Variety Performance
The Royal Variety Performance is a gala evening held annually in the United Kingdom, which is attended by senior members of the British Royal Family, usually the reigning monarch. In more recent years Queen Elizabeth II and The Prince of Wales have alternately attended the performance...
, where they elected to sing "Angelo", rather than their then current single "Highwayman". Deprived of this vital promotion, the single failed to enter the chart (although was 'bubbling under' the top 50 at the time). It did however become a top 20 hit in both the Netherlands and Belgium. An accompanying album Images
Images (Brotherhood of Man album)
Images is the fourth album by pop group Brotherhood of Man. It was released in 1977 and featured the UK No.1 hit, "Angelo".-Background:This was the group's second album release in 1977 and was led by the single, "Angelo"...
, similarly failed in the UK charts.
The group battled on into 1978 with the release of "Figaro
Figaro (song)
"Figaro" is a song by British pop group Brotherhood of Man. It was released as a single in January 1978 and became the group's third and final number one hit in the UK.- Background :...
", which brought them back into vogue and became their third UK Number one single. Many critics argued however that this song was simply cashing in on the success of "Angelo", but although their titles are similar, there is little evidence to support this, as the two songs are very different. In May "Beautiful Lover" was released and another hit, reaching the UK top twenty, and spending three months in the charts. An album was released soon after, B for Brotherhood
B for Brotherhood
B for Brotherhood is the fifth album by pop group Brotherhood of Man. It was released in 1978 and featured the UK No.1 single "Figaro"-Background:...
. The record company took no chances with this album, given the failure of their previous two, and so with a TV advertising campaign, the album entered the UK Charts, eventually peaking at Number eighteen - their most successful album so far.
As the year drew to a close another single, "Middle of the Night" was released along with a greatest hits
Greatest hits
A greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
compilation, Twenty Greatest
Twenty Greatest
Twenty Greatest is the sixth album released by British pop group Brotherhood of Man and their first compilation. It was released in 1978 and became their biggest selling album.-Background:...
. Apart from featuring all their own hits and a smattering of album tracks and new songs, the group re-recorded both "United We Stand" and "Where are You Going To My Love" for the album. Twenty Greatest became Brotherhood Of Man's most successful album, reaching Number six in the UK Charts and spending fifteen weeks in the top 75.
Chart decline
1979 saw the group going into decline as the hits dried up. Three singles released in the first six months of the year all failed to make the charts as did their next album, Higher Than HighHigher Than High
Higher Than High is the seventh album released by British pop group Brotherhood of Man. It was released in 1979 and contained four singles.- Background :...
. This was despite regular TV appearances and radio play, although the group remained popular on the live circuit. As Pye Records were due to fold at the end of the year, one more album was released in December to fulfill their contract. The album Singing a Song
Singing a Song
Singing a Song is the eighth album by British pop group Brotherhood of Man. It was released in 1979 and was their final album for Pye Records after several years with the label.- Background :...
was made up of unreleased songs mixed with new material, but no singles were released from the collection.
Manager Tony Hiller set up his own record company in 1980, Dazzle Records. Brotherhood of Man released the first single on the label, "Honey Don't Throw Our Love Away" which also did not chart, nor did the follow-up, a cover of the 1960s hit "Will You Love Me Tomorrow
Will You Love Me Tomorrow
"Will You Love Me Tomorrow", also known as "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow", is a song written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King and originally recorded by The Shirelles. It has been recorded by many artists and was ranked among Rolling Stone 's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time at #125...
". An album
Good Fortune (album)
Good Fortune is the ninth album by British pop group Brotherhood of Man. The album was recorded on manager Tony Hiller's label, Dazzle Records in 1980, but went unreleased in the UK. The album did get a release however in Australia on RCA Records...
was recorded but went unreleased, except for in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Towards the end of the year, the group were offered a deal with Warwick Records
Warwick Records
Warwick Records is a British record label from the 1970s and early 1980s, which specialised in producing and compiling songs for compilations that have sometimes been given away as 'promos' with other products, such as magazines etc....
to make an album of cover versions. Released in November, Sing 20 Number One Hits
Sing 20 Number One Hits
Sing 20 Number One Hits is the tenth album released by British pop group Brotherhood of Man. Released in 1980, it was the group's second biggest-selling album.- Background :...
was the group's take on 20 number one UK hits from recent years. The album hit peaked at Number fourteen - their first chart success for two years. The album remained in the top 50 for two months and was awarded a gold disc.
Keen to release a follow-up, Warwick offered them a double album deal the following year. Released as a buy one get one free package, 20 Disco Greats / 20 Love Songs
20 Disco Greats / 20 Love Songs
20 Disco Greats / 20 Love Songs is a double album released by British pop group Brotherhood of Man which was released as two separate albums, but sold together as a 'buy one get one free' package, as was the popular trend at the time.- Background :...
- again, a collection of recent chart hits, came out in late 1981. This album did not match the success of the first and missed the UK Charts. Tracks from these albums appear frequently on CD releases of the group, interspersed with their own hit singles.
In early 1982, Sheriden opted to leave the group to study for a degree in music. Hiller took on 28 year old Barry Upton
Barry Upton
Barry Upton is an English songwriter, arranger, musician and producer of various forms of pop music. He is also a audio engineer and stage performer having appeared around the world in various capacities.-Career:...
, an up and coming songwriter. Upton was later to write hits for many artists including Sonia and Steps.
The previous year, the UK had won the Eurovision Song Contest (the first time since Brotherhood of Man) with the two boy two girl pop act Bucks Fizz
Bucks Fizz (band)
Bucks Fizz are an English pop group who achieved success in the 1980s, most notably for winning the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Making Your Mind Up". The group was formed in January 1981 specifically for the contest and comprised four vocalists: Bobby G, Cheryl Baker, Mike Nolan and...
. Within twelve months they had chalked up three number one singles and encouraged by their popularity, Hiller set about reviving Brotherhood of Man's fortunes. In 1982, Brotherhood of Man signed a deal with EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
in the hope that the new pop revival would encompass them. Armed with a new single "Lightning Flash", written by Hiller, Lee and Upton, the group were relaunched with a new contemporary image and sound. The song only reached Number sixty seven in the summer of 1982 - their first single to chart in nearly four years. A follow-up, "Cry Baby Cry" failed to capitalise on this, but nevertheless, the group began working on a new album.
In 1983, the songwriting team of Hiller, Lee and Upton entered a song for the A Song for Europe
A Song for Europe
A Song for Europe may refer to:*A Song for Europe, former name of British pre-selection competition for the Eurovision Song Contest, now known as Eurovision: Your Country Needs You...
competition. Their composition, "When the Kissing Stops" made it to the final eight, but although initially tempted, the group decided not to perform the number themselves ("We all agreed it would be better to be remembered as winners, and we couldn't bear to lose!" remembers Sandra Stevens). Hiller formed a male/female trio under the name Rubic to represent the song on 24 March 1983. The group lost out to another male/female trio, Sweet Dreams
Sweet Dreams (band)
Sweet Dreams were a British vocal trio comprising teenagers Carrie Gray, Helen Kray and Bobby McVay who represented the UK in Eurovision 1983 with the song "I'm Never Giving Up"....
and ended up in fifth place. Despite its failure, Brotherhood of Man recorded the song and chose it as their next single. Released in the Summer of 1983, alongside their new album Lightning Flash
Lightning Flash
Lightning Flash is the twelfth album by British pop group Brotherhood of Man. Released on EMI Records in 1983, it remains their final commercially-released studio album.- Background :...
, neither record made the UK Chart and this brought to an end their contract with EMI. "When the Kissing Stops" remains Brotherhood of Man's final single release.
Brotherhood of Man continued to perform in concert throughout the UK and Europe, but less than a year later, Upton elected to leave to work on other projects and the group decided to split. This ended their twelve year working relationship with Hiller.
Reformation
In 1985, Brotherhood of Man reunited for a one off TV appearance and they discussed getting back together. Over the next year, and now back with Sheriden in place of Upton, the group decided to manage themselves and begin performing again. In late 1986, the group were back on the live circuit, but decided against attempting a chart comeback.In 1990, Martin Lee got together with songwriters Paul Curtis
Paul Curtis (musician)
Paul Michael Curtis is an English singer, songwriter, record producer from London, who holds the record for the most number of songs to make the finals of the A Song for Europe contest, the BBC's annual competition to choose the UK entry to the Eurovision Song Contest, competing with 22 separate...
and David Kane to compose a musical based on The Butterfly Children
The Butterfly Children
The Butterfly Children is the title of a series of children's books created by husband and wife team, Pat and Angela Mills. The books were published during the 1990s by Peter Haddock Ltd. In 1990, a musical based on the characters was staged featuring songs written by Martin Lee, Paul Curtis and...
books by Angela
Angela Kincaid
Angela Kincaid, formerly known by her married name of Angela Mills, is a children's book illustrator best known for The Butterfly Children series of picture books. With her then husband, Pat Mills, she created the Celtic comics character Sláine for 2000 AD.-External links:*...
and Pat Mills
Pat Mills
Pat Mills, nicknamed 'the godfather of British comics', is a comics writer and editor who, along with John Wagner, revitalised British boys comics in the 1970s, and has remained a leading light in British comics ever since....
. The musical had its world premiere at the Mitchell Theatre in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, to open the 1990 Glasgow City of Culture and ran for a month and was performed by the Mitchell Theatre for Youth. Just three months later, the show transferred to the larger Kings Theatre in Glasgow and ran for two weeks. The show transferred in late 1992 to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
. Brotherhood of Man recorded the songs themselves and the nineteen track collection, available on cassette only, was available to buy at the theatre. The album was never commercially released, although some tracks did make it onto tie-in cassettes to go with the books a few years later. The Butterfly Children, essentially a children's show, featured many differing styles of music from rap to rock and country and western to the more familiar pop the group were known for. The show's run ended after a short season, and has not been performed since.
In 1991, the group went back into the recording studio and made an album of re recorded hits and some new material with Dutch producer Eddy Ouwens. Not only was this their first recording for eight years, but it was their first without Hiller. The album remains unreleased in the UK, but was released in Spain under the title Grandes Exitos and in Poland as The Golden Hits Of Brotherhood Of Man.
The group continued to perform live throughout the nineties mainly on the cabaret circuit and Holiday Camps such as Butlins
Butlins
Butlins is a chain of large holiday camps in the United Kingdom. Butlins was founded by Billy Butlin to provide affordable holidays for ordinary British families....
. In 1997, they recorded another album, based on their live show. Again, the album contained re-recordings of their hits as well as cover versions that they perform in concert, such as "1999
1999 (song)
"1999" is a song by Prince, the title track from his 1982 album of the same name. The song is one of Prince's best-known, and a defining moment in his rise to superstar status....
" by Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
and "Juke Box Hero
Juke Box Hero
"Juke Box Hero" is a song by Foreigner and was the third single released from their 1981 album 4. It first entered the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in July 1981. It subsequently went to #26 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles charts after released in February 1982.The song focuses on a...
" by Foreigner
Foreigner (band)
Foreigner is a British-American rock band, originally formed in 1976 by veteran English musicians Mick Jones and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald along with American vocalist Lou Gramm...
. The album contained one new song, the title track "Greenhouse
Greenhouse (Brotherhood of Man album)
Greenhouse is a 1997 album by British pop group Brotherhood of Man.The album was released independently by the group themselves on cassette only and was available to buy at their shows. The songs contained included a mix of re-recordings of their own hit singles and cover versions...
", rescued from the 1991 sessions. Like the previous album, this was never commercially released and was only available to buy at their shows.
The Seventies Story
The Seventies Story is a 2002 album by pop group Brotherhood of Man. It is based on a live stage show the group had undertaken at the time.- Overview :...
, the show comprised a trip through the decade, with the group performing well known songs from each year along with a narration of contemporary events. The group returned to the studio and recorded an album of the show's songs. Again, this album was not released in shops, but was available on CD at the show's venues. The tracks did get a general release later on however on various compilation albums. In 2004, the first Brotherhood of Man DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
was released, featuring TV performances of many of their singles.
To date, the group still do occasional shows with both The Seventies Story and with their own material. Most recently they have teamed up with the current incarnation of Bucks Fizz and together they perform as a two-part show. They frequently play to sold out houses, The Seventies Story being particularly successful in receiving good reviews.
Brotherhood of Man still find themselves in demand on both the Nostalgia and gay circuit. They have appeared a number of times at London's G-A-Y
G-A-Y
G-A-Y is a gay nightclub in London. It operated from the London Astoria music venue for 15 years until July 2008. The Boston Globe described it as "London's largest gay-themed club night", NME reported that it "attracts 6,000 clubbers each week", and The Independent described it as "the one London...
theatre and regularly appear on TV both in the UK and abroad, mostly around Eurovision time each year. In 2006, they appeared at the 50th anniversary of the Eurovision Song Contest gala held in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, where they were voted in the top 5 Eurovision songs of all time - the highest of any UK entry.
In 2009, Cherry Red Records released the first four albums by the Eurovision line up as two double CDs. This was the first time these albums were available on CD.
Members
- John Goodison (1969–70)
- Tony BurrowsTony BurrowsAnthony "Tony" Burrows is a British session singer. He has been credited with singing lead on hit singles for more groups than any other recording artist, both on the UK Singles Chart and the U.S...
(1969–71) - Roger GreenawayRoger GreenawayRoger Greenaway , is a popular English songwriter, best known for his collaborations with Roger Cook.-Career:...
(1969–71) - Sue Glover (1969–72)
- Sunny Leslie (1969–72)
- Hal Atkinson (1971–72)
- Russell Stone (1971–72)
Brotherhood of Man II (1972–present)
- Martin LeeMartin Lee (singer)Martin Lee is a singer-songwriter, best known as a member of the British pop group Brotherhood of Man.- Early career :...
(1972–present) - Lee SheridenLee SheridenLee Sheriden is a British singer/songwriter and musical director, best known as a member of pop group Brotherhood of Man.-Early career:...
(1972–81, 1986–present) - Nicky StevensNicky StevensNicky Stevens is a singer, famous as a member of pop group Brotherhood of Man.- Early career :Nicky Stevens began singing at an early age was classically trained. At 15 she toured the Continent as a singer performing in night clubs. Following this she went on to tour South Africa as well as clubs...
(1972–present) - Sandra StevensSandra StevensSandra Stevens is a British singer and member of pop group Brotherhood of Man.- Early career :Sandra Stevens first entered into a singing career at the age of sixteen when she joined the club band, The Track...
(1973–present) - Barry UptonBarry UptonBarry Upton is an English songwriter, arranger, musician and producer of various forms of pop music. He is also a audio engineer and stage performer having appeared around the world in various capacities.-Career:...
(1982–84)
Albums
- United We Stand (Deram, 1970)
- We're the Brotherhood of ManWe're the Brotherhood of ManWe're the Brotherhood of Man is the second album by British pop group The Brotherhood of Man in their early incarnation on Deram Records.The album was released in April 1972, two years after the first and included the singles, "Reach Out Your Hand" and "You and I"...
(Deram, 1972) - The World of the Brotherhood of ManThe World of the Brotherhood of ManThe World of the Brotherhood of Man is the third album released by British pop group The Brotherhood of Man.- Background :The album was released on Decca Records in June 1973. The album was a compilation which was released after the original version of the group had disbanded...
(Decca, 1973) - Good Things HappeningGood Things HappeningGood Things Happening is the first album released by the new lineup of pop group Brotherhood of Man. This lineup consisted of Martin Lee, Lee Sheriden, Nicky Stevens and Sandra Stevens and was to be the main lineup of the group's history and would hold for the next ten albums.- Background :This...
(Dawn, 1974) - Love and KissesLove and Kisses from Brotherhood of ManLove and Kisses from Brotherhood of Man is the second album released by the new line-up of British pop group Brotherhood of Man. It was released in the UK the day before their 1976 Eurovision win with "Save Your Kisses for Me", which the album contained...
(Pye, 1976) - Oh Boy!Oh Boy! (album)Oh Boy! is the third album released by pop group Brotherhood of Man. It was released in 1977 and featured the UK top 10 hit, "Oh Boy "...
(Pye, 1977) - ImagesImages (Brotherhood of Man album)Images is the fourth album by pop group Brotherhood of Man. It was released in 1977 and featured the UK No.1 hit, "Angelo".-Background:This was the group's second album release in 1977 and was led by the single, "Angelo"...
(Pye, 1977) - B for BrotherhoodB for BrotherhoodB for Brotherhood is the fifth album by pop group Brotherhood of Man. It was released in 1978 and featured the UK No.1 single "Figaro"-Background:...
(Pye, 1978) - Twenty GreatestTwenty GreatestTwenty Greatest is the sixth album released by British pop group Brotherhood of Man and their first compilation. It was released in 1978 and became their biggest selling album.-Background:...
(K-tel/Pye, 1978) - Higher Than HighHigher Than HighHigher Than High is the seventh album released by British pop group Brotherhood of Man. It was released in 1979 and contained four singles.- Background :...
(Pye, 1979) - Singing a SongSinging a SongSinging a Song is the eighth album by British pop group Brotherhood of Man. It was released in 1979 and was their final album for Pye Records after several years with the label.- Background :...
(Pye, 1979) - Good FortuneGood Fortune (album)Good Fortune is the ninth album by British pop group Brotherhood of Man. The album was recorded on manager Tony Hiller's label, Dazzle Records in 1980, but went unreleased in the UK. The album did get a release however in Australia on RCA Records...
(Dazzle, 1980) - Sing 20 Number One HitsSing 20 Number One HitsSing 20 Number One Hits is the tenth album released by British pop group Brotherhood of Man. Released in 1980, it was the group's second biggest-selling album.- Background :...
(Warwick, 1980) - 20 Disco Greats / 20 Love Songs20 Disco Greats / 20 Love Songs20 Disco Greats / 20 Love Songs is a double album released by British pop group Brotherhood of Man which was released as two separate albums, but sold together as a 'buy one get one free' package, as was the popular trend at the time.- Background :...
(Warwick, 1981) - Lightning FlashLightning FlashLightning Flash is the twelfth album by British pop group Brotherhood of Man. Released on EMI Records in 1983, it remains their final commercially-released studio album.- Background :...
(EMI, 1983) - The Butterfly ChildrenThe Butterfly ChildrenThe Butterfly Children is the title of a series of children's books created by husband and wife team, Pat and Angela Mills. The books were published during the 1990s by Peter Haddock Ltd. In 1990, a musical based on the characters was staged featuring songs written by Martin Lee, Paul Curtis and...
(1992) - GreenhouseGreenhouse (Brotherhood of Man album)Greenhouse is a 1997 album by British pop group Brotherhood of Man.The album was released independently by the group themselves on cassette only and was available to buy at their shows. The songs contained included a mix of re-recordings of their own hit singles and cover versions...
(1997) - The Seventies StoryThe Seventies StoryThe Seventies Story is a 2002 album by pop group Brotherhood of Man. It is based on a live stage show the group had undertaken at the time.- Overview :...
(2002)